


Sheikah Dads Being Sheikah Dads

by dorulean



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Anxiety, Cooking, Fluff and Angst, Hide and Seek, M/M, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Suicide, One Shot, Rare Pairings, dads trying their best
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 14:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30006369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dorulean/pseuds/dorulean
Summary: When Koko comes down with a cold, Dorian has to take care of her and Cado has to watch Cottla.
Relationships: Dorian (Legend of Zelda)/Cado (Legend of Zelda)
Kudos: 1





	Sheikah Dads Being Sheikah Dads

**Author's Note:**

> I deadass made this account just so I could post a fic about these two that I ended up abandoning lol
> 
> But we’ve come full circle 😤 The world has a funny way of taking us back to square one with a different mindset.
> 
> Or some poetic shit, idk, enjoy this short little fic!

Kakariko Village was a very small, tight-knit community. Everybody in the village, from Impa to Cottla, did their part to keep everything running. 

But when one person went down, **the entire village felt it.**

That person was Koko. The eldest daughter of Dorian--one of Impa’s guards. And older sister to Koko--the town’s youngest resident.

Since her mother’s passing, Koko’s main duty has been to look after Cottla. And taking care of that rambunctious toddler was no easy feat. Cottla had to be woken up, fed, dressed, played with, fed again, put to sleep for a nap, played with some more, fed again, bathed, then put to bed. This was Koko’s day. At least until Cottla is old enough to be a little more independent.

But today, Koko was sick.

The young girl had come down with a nasty cold one night. She tried her hardest to push through her runny nose and wet cough, but it got the best of her. Not even her father, Dorian, noticed.

Being one of Impa’s guards, Dorian didn’t have much time to spend time with his children. He and his husband, Cado, would alternate shifts so one of them could check on the kids, but they only had so much time. Dorian saw them in the morning, kissed them goodbye, then headed to his post. It hurt Dorian. The kids had no mother and two dads that were always working around the clock. Thankfully, everyone in the village treated Koko and Cottla like their own, but Dorian is their father. He wants to see his children.

And today, Dorian got his wish. Sorta.

With Koko under the weather, Impa allowed Dorian to take the day off to take care of her. And he was going to take **good** care of her.

“Oh, my sweet nightshade…” Dorian said, rubbing his daughter’s forehead from her bedside. “I’m _so_ sorry this happened…”

Koko coughed. “It’s...fine, Papa…”

“Do you need more pillows?” Dorian asked. “More blankets? Whatever you need, my sweet nightshade.”

Koko’s eyes weakly move to her side. “You already gave me...ten pillows…”

“And if you need ten more, I will get ten more.”

Another cough lunged out of Koko’s little lungs. “How about...some soup or stew…?”

“Soup!” Dorian repeated. “Soup, soup! Why didn’t I think of soup?!” Dorian jumped up from his daughter’s side. “You stay right here, my sweet nightshade. I’m going to make you the _best_ soup you’ve ever had, okay? If you need anything, just call me.”

Then, Dorian darted to the kitchen.

“O...kay…” Koko weakly, near-silently mumbled.

  
  


_ _ _ _ _

When Cado and Dorian became a couple, Cado was more than happy to be another parent to Koko and Cottla. He was just as busy as Dorian, guarding Impa, but they were able to alternate checking on the children. And with Koko throwing Kakariko’s ecosystem off-track, Cado was filling in for Koko today. Which meant he had to spend the _entire_ day watching Cottla. It sure beat guarding Impa all day.

Or so it seemed.

“Let’s play hide ‘n’ seek, Cado!” Cottla squealed.

“Hide ‘n’ seek, huh?” Cado chuckled. “I’ll have you know that I used to be the hide ‘n’ seek **champion** when I was your age.”

“Woah, really?!” Cottla asked with stars in her eyes. “I didn’t know they played hide ‘n’ seek in the Stone Age!”

“...The what, now?”

**“STAY HERE AND COUNT!”** Cottla roared, then trotted off to, presumably, hide.

Cado watched the little girl run off. “I don’t look that old...do I?”

_ _ _ _ _

Dorian couldn’t remember the last time he cooked a meal. He survived on apples and whatever was leftover from what Koko made for Cottla. And damn, could his daughter cook. But she clearly didn’t inherit that from her father. Dorian was **hopeless** when it came to cooking. Completely and utterly hopeless.

Dorian lit the fire under the cooking pot, then started reading the soup section of Cado’s cookbook. There were tons of soups to choose from. There was Creamy Heart Soup--good for the soul. There was Gourmet Meat Stew--with extra beef. But the Pumpkin Stew was what caught Dorian’s eye. Fortified Pumpkins were native to Kakariko, and the cookbook said it was good for treating colds.

_Perfect._

The ingredients he needed were, of course, a Fortified Pumpkin, Goat Butter, Fresh Milk, and Tabantha Wheat. Luckily, all of those were available at the shop. But Dorian felt like that wasn’t enough. If he had the time, he’d travel to Tabantha Frontier and pick the wheat himself. He wanted the _best_ stew for his sweet nightshade.

Dorian followed the directions of the recipe, from the first letter to the last, and wowed himself at the delectable cuisine he had crafted. The aroma that came from the pot sent him into a haze of existential bliss. The texture of the soup had the perfect balance of moisture and solidity. And the heat that came from the pot was enough to warm his soul.

But Dorian didn’t trust outside appearances--that trait came from his Yiga past. He needed to _taste_ the soup. As much as he wanted to put the soup in a display case, it was meant to be eaten. By his sweet nightshade.

Dorian dipped his ladle into the pot and fished up a good portion of the soup. There was just the right amount of every ingredient. He pulled the ladle to his lips and sipped ever so lightly.

He winced.

Dorian pulled the ladle away from his lips, smacking his lips to make sure every taste bud got a chance to analyze what he had just sent down his throat. “Something’s...wrong…” he murmured.

Maybe his lips were deceiving him. After all, Dorian double checked everything--that trait came from his Yiga past as well. So he dipped the ladle back in and took another sip of the soup. There were definitely more chunks of pumpkin in that scoop, but something was still off.

“No…” Dorian sighed. “This... **will not suffice!”** Dorian flung the pot of soup off toward the side of his house, just barely missing one of Cado’s Cuccos. “I have to redo this...and do it **right.”**

_ _ _ _ _

“...29...30!” Cado uncovered his eyes. “Ready or not, Cottla! Here I come!”

Cado began his search for Cottla by searching from the highest point he could get to--near Ta’loh Naeg Shrine. From his bird’s eye view, _everyone_ in the town looked the size of Cottla. And Cottla most likely wouldn’t be out in the open, so it was pointless to look from that high.

Walking through the town, he started to realize just how many spaces someone Cottla’s size could hide in. He started to realize just how many spaces someone _his_ size could hide in.

“I really need to step up my guard game…” Cado said to himself.

And speaking of _guard game,_ Cado’s stomach sank when he saw who would be filling in for him and Dorian for the day. Her deep brown skin, her jet black hair, her ocean blue eyes, and that sexy, modified Duplex Bow in her hands. It was Cado’s ex-wife, Rola, sitting on a crate in front of Impa’s quarters.

“Uh, hello? Hyrule to Cado?” Rola said.

Cado didn’t realize how long he had been staring at her. “Oh, um...good morning to you, Rola...How’ve you been…?”

“Oh, you know,” she pointed her unloaded bow at Cado, “just doing _your_ job while **you** get to play games all day.”

Cado gasped in full offense. “I’ll have you know that I’m not just playing **games.** It’s called _full-time parent duty._ And _playing games_ comes with the package!”

“Whatever you say, Cado.” Rola flourished her bow onto her back. “Have fun finding Cottla then!”

“You’ve seen her?!” Cado asked like he’d been searching for ten years rather than ten minutes.

“Sure have!” Rola said with a smirk. “She told me all about how she’s the best hide ‘n’ seek player. Of this era at least.”

Cado rolled his eyes, picturing Cottla telling Rola about his presumed age. “Well, I better start _seeking._ It’s almost lunchtime.”

Rola waved Cado away with the wiggle of her fingers. _“Good luck!”_

_ _ _ _ _

**“This isn’t right either!”** Dorian yelled, then tossed yet another pot of tainted pumpkin soup toward the flocking Cuccos in front of his house. “This doesn’t make sense! I’ve added rock salt, Goron Spice, Hearty Radishes, and **_nothing_ ** seems to be working!”

“Pa...papa…?” Koko wheezed from the doorway. She was wrapped head-to-toe in a blanket. “W-why is there a pile of pumpkin s-stew next to the house...and why are the C-Cuccos eating i-it…?”

“Oh, my sweet nightshade!” Dorian ran to take his daughter back inside. “Don’t you worry yourself. Papa’s got _everything_ under control!”

“T-then...why are...”--she coughed--”the Cuccos eating stew and n-not...me…?”

_“Because,_ my sweet nightshade, this soup has to be **perfect.** I can’t have you eating mediocre soup, now can I?”

“Papa...I can’t even smell…”

Dorian planted a kiss on Koko’s forehead. “Then that’s motivation to try even harder. Now please, _please_ get some rest. I’ll make you soup so good you’ll taste it for **years!”**

Before Koko could object, Dorian was out of the door and back to the cooking pot.

Koko sighed. “I just...need food…”

_ _ _ _ _

Cado searched high, low, higher, and lower. He asked Lasli, greeter of the armor shop, but she hadn’t seen Cottla at all. Trissa, owner of the general store, hadn’t seen Cottla either. Though, she recalled seeing a very angry Dorian buying 20 sticks of goat butter. Cado even bought a bed at Shuteye Inn just to search the place top to bottom. But Cottla wasn’t _anywhere._

There was one last place Cado thought to look. But there was no way Cottla could be there, could she? It was worth a shot though.

Impa’s chambers. Other than her granddaughter, Paya, not many people had regular access to Impa. After all, it was Dorian and Cado’s job to guard the place. All it took was one glare from the married guards to strike fear into wandering travelers.

But when Cado put one foot on that first step to Impa’s quarters, he was met with a bow loaded with three arrows.

“Cottla’s not in there.” Rola said, firmly pointing her bow at Cado’s head.

Cado was in pure shock, keeping an eye on the substitute-guard’s fingers, in case they slip and take his head off. “Is this really necessary?!”

“What?” she motioned her head to the bow. “This? I’m on guard duty, and you’re trespassing.”

“I’M SUPPOSED TO BE THE ONE STANDING THERE GUARDING!” Cado yelled.

But Rola didn’t flinch. Thankfully, for Cado’s head’s sake. _“Supposed_ to be. But you’re not.”

“That doesn’t justify pointing a **loaded weapon at me!”** Cado snapped back.

“Does your _hubby_ being a traitor justify it?”

Cado was tight-lipped silent. Nobody was supposed to know about the Yiga blackmailing Dorian. _Cado_ wasn’t even supposed to know.

Rola giggled. “Yeah, I know about that. Link isn’t much of a talker. But when he starts talking, the guy doesn’t stop.”

Cado frowned at his ex, then took his foot off of the first step. “I’ll go check the Inn again…”

_ _ _ _ _

Every Cucco in the village was enjoying a four-course meal of pumpkin stew, while Dorian, seething with rage, watched another pot of the stuff simmer.

“Please be perfect…” Dorian chanted to himself.

“Papa…” Koko groaned, once again standing in the doorway. “What’s g-going on out here…?”

“Just a moment, my sweet nightshade!” Dorian said, masking his fury with his upbeat father voice. “This one will be perfect! I _promise!”_

“No, papa…” Koko sighed. “I want that stew...The s-stew in the pot...”

“But, nightshade!” Dorian sighed like his daughter. “I don’t know if it’s perfect! I don’t want to risk your precious little taste buds!”

“Well I’m not getting any better!” Koko snapped, even causing Dorian to double-take. “Now gimme the stew!”

Dorian had never heard his daughter sound so... _commanding._ And she’s sick too? Dorian handed the ladle over to his daughter and stepped aside.

As soon as Koko stepped over the pot, her nose opened up. Suddenly, she could smell the beautiful aroma of the pumpkin stew--albeit with snot running down her upper lip. She dipped the ladle in, appreciating the appearance of the meal that smelled like Hylia’s personal perfume. When the ladle touched her tongue, flavor exploded across her tasters, recoiling her backward a step.

“Wow…” Koko whispered. “Papa...you can _actually_ cook now!”

Dorian didn’t know what to say. He didn’t add rock salt, or Goron Spice, or Hearty Radishes. He made the recipe just how the cookbook said. Is it possible that it was perfect to begin with? No. That couldn’t possibly be it. Dorian followed his gut. And his gut was never wrong--yet another trait from his Yiga past.

“Well, I’m happy you like it.” Dorian said, allowing the compliment to rest on his spirit.

_ _ _ _ _

“Cado, this is the seventh time you’ve walked past here!” Rola laughed.

“Because I can’t find the damn kid!” Cado said with fear hanging onto each word. “What if she left town and got kidnapped?! Or fell off the cliffs?! What if she fell into the Great Fairy’s fountain?!”

Rola wanted to taunt and tease her ex, but she knew that Cado was genuinely on the verge of an anxiety attack. She’d been married to him before. She knew how he got. “Let me just inform you that Cottla is very safe.”

“Wait…” Cado glared at the bow-wielder. “You know where she is?!”

“Ms. Rola!” Cottla’s voice came from thin air. “You weren’t supposed to say anything!”

“I didn’t! Rola laughed hysterically. “I was just trying to calm him down!”

The crate that Rola was sitting on began to shake. Then, the front of it fell down and revealed the hiding child. “Now I’m **_officially_ **the best hide ‘n’ see player alive!” Cottla cheered.

“Oh, Cottla!” Cado pulled the child into a suffocating hug. “I thought you were gone! If something happened to you, Dorian would’ve **killed** me. Well, I would’ve killed myself for being so **careless!** Er...After we sought out your kidnappers and beheaded them...if you got kidnapped that is, but if you fell off the cliffs, I-”

“Cado!” Rola interrupted his frantic ranting. “She’s safe. Everything’s fine.”

“Yeah, Cado.” Cottla tried to squirm out of his crushing hug. “Can you let go, now? You smell like blood, sweat, and tears.”

Cado did get pretty sweaty when he worried. And he definitely did cry. Twice. And his nose bleeds when he worries too. Either that was a lucky guess, or Cottla has superpowers.

**“I’m gonna go check on Koko now!”** Cottla screamed, then ran off in the direction of their house.

Cado went to chase after her, but was stopped when a certain Duplex Bow hooked around his arm and stopped him. 

“We got you good, didn’t we?” Rola asked.

“At the expense of my mental state.” Cado sighed.

Rola smiled and winked at the man. “Hey, I told you she was safe.” She unhooked her bow from Cado’s arm, then flourished it back behind her. “Even though we’re not together anymore, and being around you is super awkward, I still care about you.”

Cado smiled. “I...care about you too.”

“But, how does Dorian deal with that Cucco smell anyway?”

“The Cuccos actually stay in the other house.” Cado shrugged. “So everyone’s happy. Even the Cuccos.”

“Of course you give the Cuccos their own house.” Rola said with the roll of her eyes. “Anyway, you better thank me for even letting that girl hide here! You dunno how much that little girl talks! I thought I was gonna arrow myself in the head!”

Cado pretended to debate whether or not he should thank Rola. “Fine…Thank you.”

Rola gave Cado another wink. “You’re _very_ welcome.”

_ _ _ _ _

Cado flopped down onto the bed and let out a nice, long, therapeutic groan. “Oh, Hylia, almighty, parenting is harder than guarding Impa!”

“Tell me about it!” Dorian was on the other side of the bed, combing his hair. “Cooking is so stressful!”

“You think cooking is stressful?” Cado chuffed. “I spent 3 hours looking for Cottla! I thought she **died!** I’ve never been so _horrified!_ I can’t imagine what Koko goes through on a daily basis!”

“Yeah…” Dorian agreed. “Koko sure does have a lot on her plate. And she’s so young, too.”

“How about this.” Dorian put his hair into a loose bun. “How about we ask Impa for some arrangements to be made tomorrow for Koko to have more free time?”

“I think that’s a good idea! Plus, Rola is pretty dangerous with that bow of hers. She’d be a great part-time guard.”

Dorian stopped and gave Cado a glare of skepticism. “And just what do you mean by that?”

“Huh?” Cado raised an eyebrow. Then he finally caught onto what Dorian was implying. “Oh, no, no, no! I didn’t mean that! And you’re an absolute _monster_ with a Windcleaver!”

Dorian couldn’t help but laugh. He planted a kiss on Cado’s cheek and gave him a shoulder rub. “I have a sense of humor, Cado.”

“Heh...right…” Cado climbed underneath the covers and got comfortable next to Dorian. “Now I’m exhausted. A 5-year-old. Has me. A Sheikah warrior. Exhausted.”

“On the bright side, we know Koko has the potential to be a fearsome warrior.” Dorian jested. “You should’ve heard the way she told me to give her stew. I was honestly a bit frightened.”

But Cado was already halfway asleep. “Yeah...my Cuccos...dined like kings…”

And that was Dorian’s cue to go to sleep right along with him. “Good night.”

“Good...night…” Cado muttered.

**Author's Note:**

> These two deserve more love. I wish they were bigger characters 😔
> 
> But that means more of these two lovelies for me and the other 3 people who support them!
> 
> We vibin 😎
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading lol.
> 
> Edit: Yooooo we have smut of Dorian on here 😭 We on the map!


End file.
